[dhruvmeena96]

The 64 audio A18T is sublime . Perfect reference signature with an open high end that is unique amongst all other iems due to their TIA tec for the highs . I listened to everything save the SE6. It could be the ultimate ciem. I would think if you are in the market at this level it is a must listen serious contender .

Try A12T... That is better tuned 64audio

A18t is all about specs and resolution
A12t is pinnacle of tuning

Prefer more than SE5U..
Actually it kills SE5U in every field except the blacked out stage

 

[seedubchris]

“Better tuned “ ? Seems like a preference to me . There is a reason it’s still the flagship .

 

[SilverEars]

“Better tuned “ ? Seems like a preference to me . There is a reason it’s still the flagship .

Probably has better technicalities in certain areas, but maybe the tonality is better on the 12t.

I can't say either technicality or tuning is good about Forte on the other hand. It's just a crappy tuning, just like the SE5U. Both have inaccurate mids. SE5U's mids are quite wonky and Forte's mids is just now well imaged at all.

 

[Noctriccio]

Coming back in the year end to mark my 1 year ownership of SE6, and it was just hilarious to see the amount of flame in this thread

My humble perspectives regarding to some points mentioned in the thread:

--Buying SE6 is highly risky:
Doubtlessly true.

--Given the risk, only dumbs would buy=buyers are dumbs:
(As a buyer) you might say so. Thanks for pointing that out

--Spiral treats their customers bad:
Kinda disagree. If you haven't own SE6 and complain about no demo, then you are not a customer yet. If you complain about ownership transfer, I'd call it as a business of sales strategy rather than customer service since it has little to do with issues of the product. Some other products do take similar strategies. For example social game accounts.

--Spiral should be accused for their sales strategy:
Nah. Have you ever found a company like this who is preventing you from spending stupid money with all their best efforts, instead of advocating you craps? They should be rewarded for that. If you are their stock owner and you count on their revenue for your retirement plan, then sorry pal.

-- Because how bad the sales strategy SE6 has, it is a bad product:
False for obvious logical flaws. However surprisingly the flow here just gives such impression.

--Because there are no reviews for SE6, it is a bad product:
There are no reviews because no one benefits from writing a review, period. The only thing unpaid owners gain to write reviews is to share their happiness, which is proven difficult to achieve here.

--Spiral should give out free samples for objective reviews:
No sure if it helps. First, there is no objective reviews, particularly if the headphone is given for free. Second, spending 3k with a review for an IEM is not any wiser than spending 3k for an IEM.

--I have heard SE6 and it is clearly overpriced:
Your call as long as you own the IEM. However, if it is only a demo, I have decent reasons to believe that its sound signature would put it into some disadvantages. SE6 has a rather laid-back and detail-oriented sound and it is transparent to the source, so "outperforming" it with an engaging IEM is quite simple, just like natural color vs vivid color, particularly if comparisons are done in generic portable devices.
Regarding to the overpricing, I feel the same can be said for many, if not most or all of the hi-fi products. Remember, we are spending $$$ or $$$$ for $$-cost BAs wired in a #!@#!%#$ way that somehow promote dopamine release. All that lacks here is sanity regardless of what product we are talking about. At least this guy has more value to me compared to some other TOTLs mentioned here.

--I want to buy SE6 since some said it is good. However it is too risky and I don't want my money down to the drain if in the end I figure out it is not my taste:
I don't think there will be a consensus that the sound of SE6 is out of the world that you will like the it for certain (with its price tag). The only thing I know that works in the same way on everyone is the drug. However, if you start to get addicted to the idea of buying SE6, remember Spiral is helping you to get rid of it as much as they can. Also keep in mind, there are plenty of alternatives elsewhere. Another option is to get friends with owners, and either try theirs or let them try your favorites. Honestly flaming the company doesn't help IMO. It is unlikely that Spiral will change their strategy because there are plenty of Tuhaos on the earth and they don't complain.

--Did you regret buying SE6?
I made many questionable decisions in life in hindsight (posting this reply may become one of them). Not this one though.

 

[Modwright01]

"laid-back and detail-oriented sound and it is transparent to the source"

It was one of the longest post but the shortest review. Thank you.

 

[dip registered]

Everyone see the announcement of 3-way ultimate and 4-way ultimate from SE?

 

[ceeloChamp]

I am really considering trying the SE6, yes I know this is probably a played-out question, but can someone offer me some insightful comparisons to other TOTL IEMs so I can get a general idea of their SQ? I have the A12t, and in my mind I’m imagining them to sound like better versions of those, but I’m concerned about the level of detail that can be achieved with 6 BAs.

 

[Infoseeker]

If only he gave previous customers big loyalty discounts. I would be able to answer that. But that current price.....

It would give him good coverage without cutting into his profits.

 

[ceeloChamp]

If only he gave previous customers big loyalty discounts. I would be able to answer that. But that current price.....

It would give him good coverage without cutting into his profits.

That's too bad, I have really wanted to support this company over the years, but they make it very hard for me to take that leap.

 

[mjoleksy]

Coming back in the year end to mark my 1 year ownership of SE6, and it was just hilarious to see the amount of flame in this thread

My humble perspectives regarding to some points mentioned in the thread:

--Buying SE6 is highly risky:
Doubtlessly true.

--Given the risk, only dumbs would buy=buyers are dumbs:
(As a buyer) you might say so. Thanks for pointing that out

--Spiral treats their customers bad:
Kinda disagree. If you haven't own SE6 and complain about no demo, then you are not a customer yet. If you complain about ownership transfer, I'd call it as a business of sales strategy rather than customer service since it has little to do with issues of the product. Some other products do take similar strategies. For example social game accounts.

--Spiral should be accused for their sales strategy:
Nah. Have you ever found a company like this who is preventing you from spending stupid money with all their best efforts, instead of advocating you craps? They should be rewarded for that. If you are their stock owner and you count on their revenue for your retirement plan, then sorry pal.

-- Because how bad the sales strategy SE6 has, it is a bad product:
False for obvious logical flaws. However surprisingly the flow here just gives such impression.

--Because there are no reviews for SE6, it is a bad product:
There are no reviews because no one benefits from writing a review, period. The only thing unpaid owners gain to write reviews is to share their happiness, which is proven difficult to achieve here.

--Spiral should give out free samples for objective reviews:
No sure if it helps. First, there is no objective reviews, particularly if the headphone is given for free. Second, spending 3k with a review for an IEM is not any wiser than spending 3k for an IEM.

--I have heard SE6 and it is clearly overpriced:
Your call as long as you own the IEM. However, if it is only a demo, I have decent reasons to believe that its sound signature would put it into some disadvantages. SE6 has a rather laid-back and detail-oriented sound and it is transparent to the source, so "outperforming" it with an engaging IEM is quite simple, just like natural color vs vivid color, particularly if comparisons are done in generic portable devices.
Regarding to the overpricing, I feel the same can be said for many, if not most or all of the hi-fi products. Remember, we are spending $$$ or $$$$ for $$-cost BAs wired in a #!@#!%#$ way that somehow promote dopamine release. All that lacks here is sanity regardless of what product we are talking about. At least this guy has more value to me compared to some other TOTLs mentioned here.

--I want to buy SE6 since some said it is good. However it is too risky and I don't want my money down to the drain if in the end I figure out it is not my taste:
I don't think there will be a consensus that the sound of SE6 is out of the world that you will like the it for certain (with its price tag). The only thing I know that works in the same way on everyone is the drug. However, if you start to get addicted to the idea of buying SE6, remember Spiral is helping you to get rid of it as much as they can. Also keep in mind, there are plenty of alternatives elsewhere. Another option is to get friends with owners, and either try theirs or let them try your favorites. Honestly flaming the company doesn't help IMO. It is unlikely that Spiral will change their strategy because there are plenty of Tuhaos on the earth and they don't complain.

--Did you regret buying SE6?
I made many questionable decisions in life in hindsight (posting this reply may become one of them). Not this one though.

Do you still own these? Have they held up to increased entrants in this space?

 

[Piotr Michalak]

Just got my hands on SE6. Force fitted. They sound surprisingly good. Definitely TOTL area. Somewhat comparable to the venerable VE8 of mine I just listened to and switched to SE6, so a good benchmark.

Natural midrange, warm neutral sound, great bass extension, recessed treble paints a colored neutral picture, as in: warm neutral downslope, portraying a nice 3D holographic view over the stage, with treble in the back, maybe somewhat midrange centered. Seems less colored and more natural than SE5 ult. Remember that the treble peak visible here moves between 8 and 14 kHz depending on your personal ear canal width and length and the CIEM depth of fit. This is just a measurement. They seem to be deep fitting CIEMs and I admit that I hear more treble energy somewhere in the upper octave around 11 kHz, but it's balanced to me.


Funny the tuning on paper is very similar to SE5 ult. But they sound different. Maybe due to phase and impedance differences, where in SE5 they were very colorful, or so I was told. I'm no expert in this part of specs. SE5 ult:

Comparison of SE5 and SE6. Bass and high differences may easily be unit variance and measurement error, especially with silicone being very hard to put putty on and glue it to the microphone. Still, like I say, the DNA is similar, but they sound different somehow, or at least I think so, having had my SE5 reshelled into acrylic and making it brighter to the point of being a bit too much. Recessed treble on these is actually not a bad idea, it works.


Just a quick comparison with SE5 measured by Crinacle and me shows a bigger difference, Crinacle unit having more sub bass, and mine having more upper treble (Crins IEC711 rig being notorious for dampening upper octave treble, so mine is probably better here).


Also this is my reshelled SE5 here, supposedly better with more treble, but actually I would prefer the treble recessed SE6 any time of the day.


Hope you like it folks, that's our first take on SE6 measurement that I know of on the whole internet, let me know if that was helpful to any of you folks!

And my finishing words are: listening to this makes me very interested in buying them, if only Spiral Ears had responded to my emails, lol. I hope to get a hold of SE6 Edge though, nevertheless.

 

[DeepGroove]

Anyone has news on the availability of SE6 Edge demos?

 

[Rollk2]

Hi @Piotr Michalak, are your SE5 custom or universal ? Shell filled with silicon or hollow?

I reshelled my custom SE5 Ultimate into universal and I'm pretty satisfied about the sound. Based on my memory, it remains the same as when it was custom, hence not brighter than before. But, that's only based on memory...

 

[anadin]

I stopped spending outrageous amounts of money on audio gear years ago.

 

[Infoseeker]

My SE5 Ult was still a reasonable price. SE6 was never an option.

But if he is serious about letting us try the Universal demoes before buying, then I would be interested.